Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 16, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke orders multi-agency committee to consider burn ban exemptions

OLYMPIA - At the direction of Gov. Gary Locke, the Washington Department of Agriculture has set up a hotline where farmers and other growers can apply for exemptions to the state burning ban that is protecting the state from wildfires.

"Our first priority must be to minimize the possibility of large, uncontrolled fires," Locke said. "But we can use common sense and allow burns for such reasons as controlling pests or plant diseases where the threat of a fire getting out of control is minimal."

But the governor also warned the threat of wild fires remains high, indeed extreme, particularly in eastern Washington where vegetation is very dry and this weekend brings a threat of lightning strikes.

Here's how the process for issuing exemptions will work:

Growers or others requesting an exemption should call 360-902-1801 at the Department of Agriculture.

Experts at the departments of Agriculture, Ecology and Natural Resources will work with the state Fire Marshal and local authorities to weigh the risks against the necessity of a requested burn. The agencies also will consult with agricultural experts at Washington State University to assess a variety of farmers' needs.

Everett Billingslea, the governor's general counsel, said, "In the rare instance that a burn can be done safely and within air quality guidelines, an exemption may be granted."

Local fire authorities will have to examine the site proposed for controlled burns before an exemption can be granted, and any state exemptions would have to be coordinated with local burning bans.

The governor called upon the agencies to use common sense in issuing any exemptions and provide them only in high-necessity, low-risk cases.

"Many parts of Washington are ripe for very dangerous fires," the governor said. "We don't want Washington to experience infernos such as those that blazed through Montana and Idaho in recent weeks."

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